2019-01-04

Germans to enjoy visa-free travel to Uzbekistan

TASHKENT -- Starting January 15, German citizens will be able to enter Uzbekistan visa-free for up to 30 days, the Uzbek tourism committee said Friday (January 4), according to AFP.

Germany will be the second EU country after France to gain visa-free travel to Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan granted French citizens the same 30-day visa waiver a month ago.

The step is aimed at promoting tourism. In particular the government is keen to show off the lavish Silk Road heritage of cities such as Bukhara, Khiva and Samarkand.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev plans to visit Germany this month.

According to the Uzbek tourism committee, 18,094 Germans visited Uzbekistan in 2018, almost five times as many as in 2016.

Uzbekistan offers visa-free entry to citizens of Turkey, Israel, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan, in addition to long-standing reciprocal visa-free entry for citizens of most former Soviet countries.